Dissecting Light Microscope

The main difference between compound light microscopes and the dissecting microscopes is that the dissecting microscopes use the reflected light that bounce off the surface of the specimen before you can view it. The other difference is that the dissecting microscopes have lower magnification compared to compound microscopes, however you can still view larger objects that can be magnified 30x.

When handling dissecting microscopes the first thing to adjust is the interpupillary distance and the diopter adjustment ring, if properly adjusted it will give you ease in viewing the specimen.

If you have binocular dissecting microscopes you will notice that each eyepiece lens can be focused separately, so you have to set the magnification knob to obtain the right focus. Dissecting microscopes are used in biology laboratories, in animal dissection and even on human dissection. Always make sure that your dissecting microscopes are not damaged and properly clean it after use.

Each dissecting microscope is equipped with an illuminator, the main use of this is to concentrate the beam of lights that passes through the specimen. The illuminator acts like a spotlight to give the viewer a clear view of the specimen. You can find the illuminator at the base of the microscope and the substage mirror. If you are unsure where to put the illuminator you can always ask the help of the laboratory technician.